ROSES RULE

Kings and queens may come and go but roses will always reign supreme in your garden! 

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Roses are the true-blue royals of our gardens with their majestic blooms, evocative scents and superior all-round appearance. And like many that are revered, they can put on a fuss that makes you think they require special treatment. Not so. Put them in a sunny spot, give them seasonal feeds, then a hard prune just before winter (think of the emperor with no clothes) and they’ll come back in summer, regally expecting your adoration. The plus is, that unlike many members of royal families, they don’t attract scandal, just love!

CARE FOR ROSES

THE JOB

• Rose bushes need a prune every autumn/early winter, just before they become dormant.

• Cut spindly branches and those that rub against each other, as rubbing makes them open to disease and insect attack.

• Create air corridors through the branches to reduce humidity and get more sunlight onto foliage.

• Cut about 1cm above an outward-facing bud eye – the bump where new growth emerges from the stem. It grows in the direction of the bud – so outwards, not inwards.

• Make cuts at a 45° angle sloping away from the bud, allowing water to run off.

THE TOOL